


Plums

by malneiro



Series: SakuAtsu Fluff Week 2021 [7]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gentle Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, Miya Atsumu Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-17 16:34:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29595612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malneiro/pseuds/malneiro
Summary: “Oooh, you missed me? Is that an official statement from the imperial gardener?” Kiyoomi teases, pulling Atsumu into him.“No. Yeesh, I’d die of embarrassment. Anyway.” He slips neatly from Kiyoomi’s grip and goes to retrieve a little bundle tucked just under the outside of the rosebush. “I got these from home. My contribution to our meal today.” He plops the bundle into Kiyoomi’s hand proudly.Kiyoomi raises an eyebrow at Atsumu, as he undoes the bundle with slim fingers. Then his eyes light up as the cloth falls open. “Are these…?” He shifts the basket to sit in the crook of his elbow so he can pick up one of the plums nestled in his palm.Or, Sakusa is the emperor and Atsumu is his gardener, and they're in love.
Relationships: Miya Atsumu/Sakusa Kiyoomi
Series: SakuAtsu Fluff Week 2021 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2162511
Comments: 1
Kudos: 99
Collections: SakuAtsu Fluff Week 2021





	Plums

Like clockwork, Kiyoomi comes to the gardens with a basket tucked into the crook of his arm just as the sun is reaching its peak in the sky, dependable as the stars in the sky coming out every night. Atsumu grins when he sees him and wipes the sweat off of his forehead. He’s been working all day to tame the monster of a rosebush in the corner of the palace grounds. It looks like something out of a fairy tale, that if he pricked his finger in the right place he’d fall asleep and the rosebush would take him, like a butterfly in a cocoon. He wonders if Kiyoomi would rescue him. 

Between that and becoming a rosebush spirit, he can’t decide which. He’d become one with the rosebush. People would tell tales about him. Then he’d finally be able to tame this damned rosebush. 

He flings the clippers into the bush with an exasperated sigh. They catch on a branch and stay there. Of course they do. Kiyoomi laughs lightly behind him. Atsumu whirls around and just manages to catch the last of it. It’s a sound he never gets tired of. Before he really got to know him, he didn’t think Kiyoomi could laugh, that he was just this stoic presence the emperor had projected. He’d damn near terrified Atsumu when he’d hired him, he thought that he hated him. Oh how wrong he was.

He’d been pleasantly surprised the first time he made Kiyoomi laugh (he’d fallen into a bush when the emperor had come out to check on the new head gardener). It never gets old. His nose scrunches up, and when he’s really amused, it’s more of a silent clicking.

“Has the rosebush insulted you?” Kiyoomi says, pulling up beside Atsumu. He sizes up the rosebush with curiosity. It towers over him. “I remember this thing. Nearly fell into it once.”

“That wouldn’t have been good. This thing’s a monster,” Atsumu says, kicking the rosebush half-heartedly. “And yes, it has. Insulted my abilities as a gardener. I’ll get it though. Little at a time, it’ll be mine.”

“It will be.” He runs his hand through Atsumu’s hair fondly. “You’re a very good gardener.”

Atsumu hums happily and pushes into Kiyoomi’s hand. “Mmmm. I am, huh? Is that an official statement from the emperor?” He looks up to grin at him.

Kiyoomi snorts. “Sure. It is.” He ruffles Atsumu’s hair then drops his hand to his side, to Atsumu’s dismay. He likes it when Kiyoomi touches his hair. Kiyoomi tilts his head towards Atsumu, looking hopeful. “Time for a break?”

“Definitely. This thing’s capable of evil, I can just feel it,” Atsumu mutters. He snaps to the side, gesturing to the basket. “Whaddaya got fer me today, Omi-Omi?”

“Well….” Kiyoomi shifts the basket in his arms and picks the handkerchief carefully back. “I got some bread, some chicken, a chunk of cheese, and some water. Thought you’d be thirsty. You always forget to bring water, Atsumu.”

Atsumu sighs. “I don’t always forget it.” He did. “Anyway, where’d you get all this stuff?”

Kiyoomi shrugs innocently, looking secretly pleased with himself, and Atsumu gets a bad-not-bad feeling. For royalty, he can be a bastard sometimes. “Usual places. You know.” 

Atsumu squints at him, mentally running through possibilities. “Ya stole this, didn’t ya?”

Kiyoomi gives him a tired look. “I bought it. You really I would steal from my own workers? Do you really think that low of me?” Atsumu shrugs, putting my hands up with a grin, and Kiyoomi rolls his eyes. “Komori and I snuck into town and bought it during market day.” Atsumu buries his face in his hands and groans. “What?”

Atsumu drops his hands, looking at Kiyoomi with a distraught look. Kiyoomi stares back at him, confused and slightly concerned. “Why didn’t you say hello? I was there, I was helping ‘Samu sell those damn rice balls.”

“Onigiri,” Kiyoomi cuts in. “And I know, I saw you.”

Atsumu stares at him. Kiyoomi stares blankly back. “And ya didn’t say hello! Omiiii, yer killin’ me.” He buries his face into Kiyoomi’s robe. “I missed you!”

“Oooh, you missed me? Is that an official statement from the imperial gardener?” Kiyoomi teases, pulling Atsumu into him.

“No. Yeesh, I’d die of embarrassment. Anyway.” He slips neatly from Kiyoomi’s grip and goes to retrieve a little bundle tucked just under the outside of the rosebush. “I got these from home. My contribution to our meal today.” He plops the bundle into Kiyoomi’s hand proudly.

Kiyoomi raises an eyebrow at Atsumu, as he undoes the bundle with slim fingers. Then his eyes light up as the cloth falls open. “Are these…?” He shifts the basket to sit in the crook of his elbow so he can pick up one of the plums nestled in his palm. 

“Yep! The plum tree near our house finally started growing plums! These are some of the first ones of the season,” he says with a bright smile. 

“Oh my god.” He turns the plums over in his hand, a look of wonder on his face. “I love you so much.”

Atsumu chuckles. “We have a plum tree on the grounds, ya know. You could get some anytime.”

Kiyoomi grumbles, turning over one of the plums. “Not the same. These plums are better.”

“Hey, watch it.” He smacks Kiyoomi on the shoulder, inwardly wondering at what point he got so close to the emperor that such a thing was allowed, and even normal between them. “I take care of that plum tree.”

“You know that’s not what I meant.” He kisses Atsumu on the nose and sits down, patting the ground beside him. “These plums are better because they’re a gift from you.”

Atsumu sighs dramatically and sits down beside him. Goddamnit. It should be illegal for one man to have this much sway over him. “All right, fine. That’s fair.” Kiyoomi nods succinctly and sets the basket between them, carefully setting the plums, warm from the heat of the day, into the basket too. 

Kiyoomi nudges the water towards him, and Atsumu complies, touched that he thought of him. He is throat is getting dry from the day in the hot sun. The rosebush provides some soft shade, but the air is still sticky and tacky, sucking all the moisture out of him. He tips his head back and takes a long drink, humming contently when he realizes it’s cold. He finished with it and puts it back into the basket. “So, you know about the rosebush. How has your day been?”

Kiyoomi rolls his eyes and sighs. “Ugh. Pointless meetings, harping on details about a diplomatic visit from people I practically grew up with, when I need to be working on drafting the new law I’m working on.”

“Oh? What law?”

Kiyoomi groans and runs his hands over his face. “Oh, don’t ask me. I’ve run over those lines so many times that I swear I could do it in my sleep.”

Atsumu laughs, mostly to lighten the mood. Kiyoomi pushes himself so much, taking on responsibility for more than a human being should handle, and it’s clear in the shadows under his eyes. “All right then. Here, take some of this.” He tears off a piece of bread and tosses it to Kiyoomi.

“Thank you,” Kiyoomi murmurs, smiling at Atsumu. He turns the bread over in his hands.

Atsumu nods. “Well, it is your bread.”

“I mean it.” He reaches over and puts his hand on Atsumu’s, running his thumb over his hand. “For doing this, meeting me. Being here. It’s….” He kisses Atsumu’s hand, and Atsumu wishes he could melt into the ground and vanish. He’d deny it, but he can be such a softie sometimes. “I like who I am with you. You make me better.”

“Ye can’t just say things like that.” Atsumu slips his hand out of Kiyoomi’s so he can bury his face in his hands. Kiyoomi snickers. “Oh shove off.” Atsumu shoves a plum into his mouth.

Kiyoomi gags dramatically and then lets the now slimy plum drop into his hand. He takes a small bite out of it and hums happily. “I missed these plums.”

“Me too,” Atsumu murmurs, staring at the plums. “Ma always makes umeboshi from the extra plums, I can’t wait for that. I’ll have to sneak some out to you, it’s heavenly. But I swear to god….” Kiyoomi arches an eyebrow. “Okay, so there was this one year that ‘Samu and Suna ate a bunch of plums and saved up the pits in a jar under ‘Samu’s bed. And one fuckin’ summer day, ‘Samu snuck Suna into the house and they pelted me with the things until I woke up. Suna was screaming like a damn demon. It was dark, and there were pits hitting me left and right, I thought I was gonna die. I ran out of the house and—”

Kiyoomi’s eyes widen. “Don’t you sleep naked?”

Atsumu plants his face in his hands. “Yes, I do.” Kiyoomi starts cackling. “It’s not funny! The old woman who lives near us saw me and screamed at me for being a pervert. She thinks I’m a deviant to this day. I have nightmares about that.”

Kiyoomi is laughing so hard he’s wheezing. “Oh my god. You— Of course you did. That’s… okay, that’s horrible but—” He bites down hard on the plum, still smirking. “Why did you run outside?”

Atsumu huffs at him. “I panicked, okay! Anyway, I’m worried that they’re going to do it again this year. Suna n’ ‘Samu are acting suspicious. Not just normal suspicious, like they’re up to something suspicious.”

“Hmmm,” Kiyoomi feigns serious contemplation, but Atsumu can see the turn of his mouth. “Maybe you should consider keeping some plum pits of your own by your bed to get ‘em back when they do.” He snickers again and takes another bite of them plum. “That’s good.”

Atsumu watches him as they fade into silence, and looks between Kiyoomi’s clothes and his own work clothes. Kiyoomi’s not dressed up, just a comfortable robe, but it’s still nicer than anything Atsumu’s ever owned. Here he is, all sweaty and dirty, why is the emperor spending all this time with him? He knows, but…. Hm. Sometimes it just seems so delicate. Kiyoomi’s not the type to play games, but still. He can’t help but get nervous about it sometimes. In the beginning, he told himself it was just temporary, so he didn’t get too attached, but it just kept going. And now, he’s screwed when or if this eventually crashes and burns, because he’s never loved someone like this.

So he blurts out, “D’ya ever get some regret?” because he has a big mouth. Kiyoomi looks up from his plum, confused. “Oh come on, ya know what I’m talking about. Me. How we’re lovers, I mean….” He clears his throat and tears off another slice of bread. “You haven’t taken on a wife yet. You’re the emperor. I know we’ve…. But honestly, I would understand. You need an heir.”

“Atsumu….” Kiyoomi puts the plum down and hooks a hand around Atsumu’s waist.

“Wha— Omi, what’re ya doing?”

“Hugging you, dummy.” He pulls Atsumu into his lap and wraps his arms around his waist snugly. Atsumu makes a show of being exasperated, but it’s so nice. Kiyoomi’s warm, and he’s pressed his face against Atsumu’s neck. “Mmm. This is nice. Thing is, Atsumu, I don’t want any of that stuff.” 

“But—”

“No. I don’t want a wife, I want you, for as long as you’ll have me. I love you, Atsumu, I don’t want anyone else. ‘S not my style. You make me happy.” He lightly kisses the back of Atsumu’s neck, and Atsumu swears he could cry. “Besides. Komori’s got kids. One of them are gonna be the heir. Everything is fine, Atsumu. I’m happy like this. Are you?”

“Aaaaaah, Kiyoomi,” he says, agonized. Atsumu twists around in Kiyoomi’s lap and wraps his limbs around him, squeezing tight. “You’re impossible. And yes. I love you so much.” He buried his face in Kiyoomi’s neck. “What ‘til I tell Ma that the emperor and I are in love.” He cackles to himself. “That’d be hilarious. But also scary.”

“You haven’t told her we’re together?” Kiyoomi asks, sounding a combination of hurt and confused, which made Atsumu laugh harder. 

He peppered Kiyoomi’s neck with kisses. “Kiyoomi. Come on. How would that conversation go? ‘Hey Ma! By the way, just wanted to let you know that I’m the fucking emperor’s one and only lover, the one that he chooses to be for the rest of his life. You know, that emperor. The one whose gardens I oversee and take care of everyday. The emperor. Okay, good talk!’ Omi. She’s still trying to set me up with people in the village. She’d kill me.”

“What, am I not a worthy lover for her son?” Kiyoomi says jokingly. 

“No! Not the point!” He groans into Kiyoomi’s neck. “I think she’d be terrified. And also furious at me for not tellin’ her a lot sooner. I mean, do you get my point?”

“I do, I do,” Kiyoomi murmurs. “That does sound like a terrifying thing to tell your mother. If it’s any consolation, you’re welcome to stay in my rooms while the aftermath blows over.” 

“Hmmm, a tempting offer.” He twists back around in Kiyoomi’s lap and after stretching forward for the cheese, he lies languidly against his chest, tipping his head back on Kiyoomi’s shoulder. Kiyoomi wraps his arms around him. “Or maybe I’ll just stay here. Your chest is comfortable.” He takes a bite out of the cheese and tips it back to let Kiyoomi take a bite. “I’ll do it eventually. I mean, I’ve gotta, since you’ll have me as long as I’ll have you, and I’ll never not want that.”

Kiyoomi hums happily and nuzzles Atsumu’s neck. “I don’t envy you. Your mother seems terrifying.”

“She’s sweet, she really is!” Atsumu says quickly, tipping his head up to meet Kiyoomi’s eyes. Kiyoomi nods, agreeing with him, and Atsumu relaxes. “But….” He shivers. “Yeesh. I have no idea what her reaction would be. I’ve pulled stunts before and she’s freaked out on me, but….”

“You’ve never done anything quite like sharing the emperor’s bed on the regular?” He kisses the top of Atsumu’s head.

Atsumu groans, but nods. “I’m never gonna get used to you saying things like that. But yeah. Maybe it’ll kill her.”

“Well, there’s no rush.” Kiyoomi pushes back some hair that’s fallen into Atsumu’s eyes. “Do it when you’re ready.”

“Mmm, yeah.” Atsumu breaks off another piece of cheese and passes it up to Kiyoomi, who takes it gratefully. “We’ve got time. Yer never getting rid of me.”

“Good,” Kiyoomi murmurs, pulling Atsumu a little tighter. “I’d be stupid if I did. It’d be damn near impossible for me to get this lucky again.” Atsumu’s heart feels a lot warmer at that, and he smiles to himself. Kiyoomi leans forward and grabs the water again. “Here. Drink. I don’t want you passing out because you’re dehydrated.”

Atsumu laughs lightly and takes the water, leaning back against Kiyoomi’s warm chest. It’s a warm summer day, but that is the kind of warmth he’ll never get tired of.

**Author's Note:**

> Day 7- Royalty, SakuAtsu Fluff Week. I thought this one was going to be difficult to write but it was actually very fun, I love writing soft stuff like this.


End file.
